HSAA commends AHS' response to flooding on behalf of its members

Dr. Chris Eagle, President and CEO
Alberta Health Services
Seventh Street Plaza
14th Floor, North Tower
10030 – 107 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4

Dear Dr. Eagle:

On behalf of the 24,000 members of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, and particularly on behalf of the hundreds of members who were directly affected by the devastating June floods, I would like to express our thanks for the compassionate response of Alberta Health Services (AHS).

Of course the first priority was ensuring the safety of patients, which included evacuation of a number of health facilities. Like all AHS employees, our members did their part, working long hours to effect the evacuations, with many pulling extra shifts to replace colleagues whose homes were devastated by the floods. Without question, these efforts, in conjunction with those of municipal and provincial authorities, are responsible for a remarkably modest loss of life given the scale of the disaster.

While the rebuilding of flooded facilities and homes will take months and years, the immediate relief to employees of five paid days to those affected by the floods, as well as the offer of three paid days to volunteer in the flood cleanup, were concrete demonstrations that AHS does indeed value its employees.

Our relationship as the bargaining agent for our AHS members commonly places us in a position of criticizing the employer’s actions and policies, but when appropriate, we will not shy away from praise and acknowledgement.

In regard to the flood response, AHS hit a home run.

Yours sincerely,

Elisabeth Ballermann, President
Health Sciences Association of Alberta